Mother used son (5) to shoplift at Penneys

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Tom O'Donnell said it was "absolutely and utterly reprehensible" that married mother of four, Tania McCarthy (29) had employed her five-year-old son "not once, but twice" to help steal two baskets of clothes from Penneys, Ennis. Stock picture

A five-year old boy employed by his mother to steal a basket of clothes from Penneys couldn't lift the basket because of the weight and instead had to drag the basket out of the store.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Tom O'Donnell said it was "absolutely and utterly reprehensible" that married mother of four, Tania McCarthy (29) had employed her five-year-old son "not once, but twice" to help steal two baskets of clothes from Penneys, Ennis.

In the district court last June, Ms McCarthy was jailed for four months for thefts from Penneys in January of last year.

However, Ms McCarthy of Shalee Drive, Ennis hasn't served the time in jail after appealing the jail terms imposed.

State Solicitor for Clare, Martin Linnane told the court that on January 6 last year, Ms McCarthy was seen filling clothes, which had a value of €248, into a basket in Penneys and leaving her son (5) to drag the basket out of the shop as he couldn't lift the basket because of the weight. The case has been adjourned to October with Ms McCarthy remanded on bail to that time.